Women entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs may be defined as the women or a group of women who

initiate,organize and operate a business enterprise. The Government of India (GOI) has
drfined women entrepreneurs as an enterprise owned and ontro!!ed by a woman
having a ma"imum finania! interest of #$% of the apita! and giving at!east #$% of the
emp!oyment generated in the enterprise to women.&
Undertaking of women entrepreneurs:-
'igh!y eduated, tehnia!!y sound and professiona!!y (ua!ified women shou!d be
enouraged for managing their own business, rather than dependent on wage
emp!oyment out!ets. The une"p!ored ta!ents of young women an be identified, trained
and used for various types of industries to inrease the produtivity in the industria!
setor. ) desirab!e environment is neessary for every woman to inu!ate
entrepreneuria! va!ues and invo!ve great!y in business dea!ings. The
additiona! business opportunities that are reent!y approahing for women entrepreneurs
are*
+ ,o-friend!y tehno!ogy
+ .io-tehno!ogy
+ IT enab!ed enterprises
+ ,vent /anagement
+ Tourism industry
+ Te!eommuniation
+ 0!asti materia!s
+ 1ermiu!ture
+ /inera! water
+ 2eriu!ture
+ 3!oriu!ture
+ 'erba! 4 hea!th are
+ 3ood, fruits 4 vegetab!e proessing
Problems faced by women entrepreneurs:-
a) Lack of confidence 5 In genera!, women !a6 onfidene in their strength and ompetene.
The fami!y members and the soiety are re!utant to stand beside their entrepreneuria! growth. To
a ertain e"tent, this situation is hanging among Indian women and yet to fae a tremendous
hange to inrease the rate of growth in entrepreneurship.
b) Socio-cultural barriers 5 Women7s fami!y and persona! ob!igations are sometimes a great
barrier for sueeding in business areer. On!y few women are ab!e to manage both home and
business effiient!y, devoting enough time to perform a!! their responsibi!ities in priority.
c) Market-oriented risks 5 2tiff ompetition in the mar6et and !a6 of mobi!ity of women ma6e
the dependene of women entrepreneurs on midd!eman indispensab!e. /any business women
find it diffiu!t to apture the mar6et and ma6e their produts popu!ar. They are not fu!!y aware of
the hanging mar6et onditions and hene an effetive!y uti!ize the servies of media and
internet.
d) Motivational factors 5 2e!f motivation an be rea!ized through a mind set for
a suessfu! business, attitude to ta6e up ris6 and behavior towards the business soiety by
shou!dering the soia! responsibi!ities. Other fators are fami!y support, Government po!iies,
finania! assistane from pub!i and private institutions and a!so the environment suitab!e for
women to estab!ish business units.
e) nowledge in !usiness "dministration 5 Women must be eduated and trained onstant!y
to a(uire the s6i!!s and 6now!edge in a!! the funtiona! areas of business management. This an
fai!itate women to e"e! in deision ma6ing proess and deve!op a good business networ6.
f) "wareness about t#e financial assistance 5 1arious institutions in the finania! setor e"tend
their ma"imum support in the form of inentives, !oans, shemes et. ,ven then every woman
entrepreneur may not be aware of a!! the assistane provided by the institutions. 2o the sinere
efforts ta6en towards women entrepreneurs may not reah the entrepreneurs in rura! and
ba6ward areas.
g) $%posed to t#e training programs - Training programs and wor6shops for every type of
entrepreneur is avai!ab!e through the soia! and we!fare assoiations, based on duration, s6i!! and
the purpose of the training program. 2uh programs are rea!!y usefu! to new, rura! and young
entrepreneurs who want to set up a sma!! and medium sa!e unit on their own.
h) &dentifying t#e available resources 5 Women are hesitant to find out the aess to ater their
needs in the finania! and mar6eting areas. In spite of the mushrooming growth of assoiations,
institutions, and the shemes from the government side, women are not enterprising and dynami
to optimize the resoures in the form of reserves, assets man6ind or business vo!unteers.